Маугли
The White Seal
"WillyoucomewithmeifIwin?"saidKotick.Andagreenlightcameintohiseye,forhewasveryangryathavingtofightatall.
"Verygood,"saidtheyoungsealcarelessly."Ifyouwin,I’llcome."
Hehadnotimetochangehismind,forKotick’sheadwasoutandhisteethsunkintheblubberoftheyoungseal’sneck.Thenhethrewhimselfbackonhishaunchesandhauledhisenemydownthebeach,shookhim,andknockedhimover.ThenKotickroaredtotheseals:"I’vedonemybestforyouthesefiveseasonspast.I’vefoundyoutheislandwhereyou’llbesafe,butunlessyourheadsaredraggedoffyoursillynecksyouwon’tbelieve.I’mgoingtoteachyounow.Lookoutforyourselves!"
Limmershintoldmethatneverinhislife—andLimmershinseestenthousandbigsealsfightingeveryyear—neverinallhislittlelifedidheseeanythinglikeKotick’schargeintothenurseries.Heflunghimselfatthebiggestseacatchhecouldfind,caughthimbythethroat,chokedhimandbumpedhimandbangedhimtillhegruntedformercy,andthenthrewhimasideandattackedthenext.Yousee,Kotickhadneverfastedforfourmonthsasthebigsealsdideveryyear,andhisdeep-seaswimmingtripskepthiminperfectcondition,and,bestofall,hehadneverfoughtbefore.Hiscurlywhitemanestoodupwithrage,andhiseyesflamed,andhisbigdogteethglistened,andhewassplendidtolookat.
